Easton Remembers Fallen Soldiers on Memorial Day

By Christina Georgiou

Every Memorial Day for the last 114 years, those in Easton have commemorated those who served their country and sacrificed their lives in the name of freedom, and this year was no exception.

Proceeding from Sixth Street down Northampton Street to the Delaware River, parade participants, led by the Northampton County Marine Corps League, were met by an enthusiastic public along the way.

Along with local county, city, township, and borough officials, American Legion Post #611, Brown and Lynch American Legion Post 9, Disabled American Veterans, Amvets Post 17, Pennsylvania Army National Guard Battery D, and the Ancient Order of Hiberninans all took part.

Also part of the remembrance day event were local  Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, the Easton Hummingbirds Adventurer Club, El Camino Pathfinders Club, the Olivet Church Youth Group, the 4-H Club of Northampton County, the Corvette Club, the Easton Fire Department and Easton Police Mobile Unit, and Suburban Emergency Squad.

Music was provided by the Easton Area High School Marching Band.

Upon reaching the river, a contingent of the parade, including Mayor Sal Panto and Vice Mayor Ken Brown, along with State Representative Bob Freeman, met Phillipsburg New Jersey officials, including Phillipsburg Mayor Harry Wyant.

With a gun salute by firing squads from Bernadine May American Legion Post #457 and Brown and Lynch American Legion Post 9, a memorial wreath, along with flowers were cast into the river, to the echoing tune of "Taps", played by EAHS buglers Dominic Ruggiero and Christopher Pryer.

A memorial service, which included remarks by Captain Edward Smith of the US Naval Reserve, the national anthem and "Amazing Grace" sung by EAHS junior Megan Zsilavec, and a reading of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address by EAHS senior Nick DeNunzio, was punctuated by the placing of a wreath by local Blue Star Mothers and a reading of a roll call list of deceased local service members.

At the conclusion of the event, members of Cub Scout Pack #3 from College Hill released red, white, and blue doves, who promptly flew off to freedom into the sunny, blue sky.

Weekend Guide, May 24 to 26

It's Memorial Day Weekend! While you're enjoying it and breaking out the barbecue, be sure to thank a vet too...

 

 

Friday, May 24

Crayola Experience Grand Re-opening Ceremony: 9:30 a.m. The mayor and officials from Crayola are scheduled to give remarks, and the winner of a national Crayola-sponsored contest will be performing the ribbon cutting. Southwest quadrant of Centre Square.

Tunes at Noon - Chelsea Carle: Noon to 1 p.m. Centre Square. Click here for more details and upcoming shows.

Adoption Days: Noon to 4 p.m. All dogs and cats over 5 years old, adoption fee only $10 with approved application. Center for Animal Health and Welfare, 1165 Island Park Road, Williams Township. 610-252-7722 or www.healthyanimalcenter.org

Line Dancing: 7 to 10:30 p.m. Lessons at 7:15 p.m. $5 per person for members, $6 for non-members. Tatamy Fire Company, 164 Bushkill St., Tatamy. 610-759-2786 or www.purecountrydancers.com

Joint Choral Concert: 7 p.m. Featuring the Easton Area High School Chorus and Trinity Episcopal Church Choir. Free. Trinity Episcopal Church, 234 Spring Garden St. 610-253-0792

School of Rock, DJ Menson: Band at 7:30 p.m., DJ at 10 p.m.  Rivals Sports Bar & Nightclub, 5 Lehns Court. 610-923-7625 or www.rivalseaston.com

Sal Ritz & Joe Mixon: 8 p.m. The Riegelsville Inn, 12 Delaware Road, Riegelsville. 610-749-0100 or www.riegelsvilleinn.com

Stinking Badges: 9 p.m. Colonial Pizza & Spaghetti House, 136-138 Spring Garden St. 610-252-3033 or www.colonialpizzapub.com

Anthem: 9 p.m. Leaf Cigar Bar & Lounge, 90 Mort Drive, Forks Township. 610-559-1336

Patrick Poladian Trio: 9 p.m. Two Rivers Brewing Company, 542 Northampton St. 610-829-1131 or www.tworiversbrewing.com

DJ Mikey Z: 10 p.m. Riegelsville Tavern, 1274 Easton Road, Riegelsville. 610-510-3030 or www.riegelsvilletavern.com

Rich Mystics: 10 p.m. Porters' Pub, 700 Northampton St. 610-250-6561 or www.porterspubeaston.com

Trouble City Allstars: 10 p.m. Pearly Baker's Alehouse, 11 Centre Square. 610-253-9949 or www.pearlybakers.net

 

Saturday, May 25

City of Easton public pools open for the season today! Click here for more information.

Blockbuster Young Adult Panel Discussion: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Published YA authors Jennifer R. Hubbard, Alissa Grosso, Nicole Zoltack and John Evans, answer questions about this popular genre for readers of all ages. Presented by the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group.  Easton Area Public Library, Palmer Branch, 1 Weller Place, Palmer Township. 610-258-7492 or www.glvwg.org

Pocono Greyhound Adoption Meet and Greet: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sam's Club, Receiving Appointments, 3796 Easton-Nazareth Highway, Easton (Lower Nazareth). 570-856-0377 or www.poconogreyhound.com

Adoption Days: Noon to 6 p.m. All dogs and cats over 5 years old, adoption fee only $10 with approved application. Center for Animal Health and Welfare, 1165 Island Park Road, Williams Township. 610-252-7722 or www.healthyanimalcenter.org

Free Texas Hold'em: 7 & 9 p.m. La Pazza, 1251 Ferry St. 610-515-0888 or www.lapazza.com

School of Rock, UFC 160,  DJ RiskeOne: Bands at 7:30 and 10 p.m., DJ at 11 p.m.  Rivals Sports Bar & Nightclub, 5 Lehns Court. 610-923-7625 or www.rivalseaston.com

Saturday Night Dance: 8 to 11 p.m. Music by King Henry & The Showmen. $10 per person. Charles Chrin Community Center, 4100 Green Pond Road, Palmer Township. 610-252-2098

Ari Hest: 8 p.m. Singer-songwriter Ari Hest will perform selections from his new album "The Fire Plays". Tickets are $18. Seating is limited. Grand Eastonian, Gold Room, 140 Northampton St. 610-258-4046 or www.mercantilehome.com.

Chuck Schaeffer: 8 p.m. The Riegelsville Inn, 12 Delaware Road, Riegelsville. 610-749-0100 or www.riegelsvilleinn.com

TBA: 9 p.m. Two Rivers Brewing Company, 542 Northampton St. 610-829-1131 or www.tworiversbrewing.com

Juke Box Saturday Night: 9 p.m. Riegelsville Tavern, 1274 Easton Road, Riegelsville. 610-510-3030 or www.riegelsvilletavern.com

Karaoke: 9 p.m. Rip Van Winkle's Pub, 3700 Nicholas St., Palmer Township. 610-258-8873

Leoce with special guests The Mahlors: 10 p.m. Porters' Pub, 700 Northampton St. 610-250-6561 or www.porterspubeaston.com

DJ Realion: 10 p.m. Pearly Baker's Alehouse, 11 Centre Square. 610-253-9949 or www.pearlybakers.net

Sunday, May 26

Williams Township Memorial program: 6 p.m. To honor fallen heroes, living veterans, and service persons on active duty.Robert Wagner, retired Captain, U.S. Army and township resident, will deliver the address. Joseph Motil, one of the township’s oldest veterans, will lay a wreath at the base of the memorial to the township’s fallen heroes. Also participating are the Wilson Area High School Brass Ensemble, Boy Scout Troop 31, Pastor Brett Kindig of Christ Evangelical Congregational Church, the firing squad of Marine Corps League/Northampton County Detachment, students from Williams Township Elementary School, members of the Veterans Memorial Committee, and many individual citizens. The community at large is invited. Free. Parking is available. Williams Township Municipal Building, 655 Cider Press Road, Williams Township.

Open Mic Hosted by Jim Stocker: 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Riegelsville Tavern, 1274 Easton Road, Riegelsville. 610-510-3030 or www.riegelsvilletavern.com

Industry Night: 10 p.m. Rivals Sports Bar & Nightclub, 5 Lehns Court. 610-923-7625 or www.rivalseaston.com

Save the Date!

Easton's Memorial Day Parade steps off at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, May 27 at 10:30 a.m. and runs from Sixth and Northampton streets to the free bridge...

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Easton observes Memorial Day

Easton's annual Memorial Day Parade went off without a hitch Monday, and after a rather soggy weekend, the weather cooperated beautifully. Crowds lined the streets, as the parade made its approach to the free bridge for a brief joint service in the middle with Phillipsburg NJ. From there it was back to the Centre Square for a rememberance of Easton's very own, led by Joe Cuvo, president of the Veterans Memorial Day Counil of the Easton Area, who acted as master of cermonies for the final event.

Were you there? Well, then, you may just find yourself here...



Children scramble for candy thrown by Suburban EMTs.


  

While some seem to regard Memorial Day weekend as little more than three days off from work, clearly, these folks know its real meaning and hold it dear to their hearts.



Members of the Easton Police Department, including Chief Carl Scalzo, left, look on as the crowd makes its way to Scott Park for a joint rememberance service with Phillipburg NJ.





 

City Controller Tony Bassil attended the event, along with...



Pennsylvania State Representative Bob Freeman, right, with Joe Cuvo, president of the Veterans Memorial Day Council of the Easton Area.

Easton City Councilman Roger Ruggles, with Mayor Sal Panto.



The Easton Area High School Rover Marching Band heads back to Centre Square.





Easton Area High School senior Jennifer Estevez sings the national anthem.
She also sang Amazing Grace later in the program.





Easton Area High School junior Nick DeNunzio reads the Gettysburg Address.




A local Boy Scout places flowers on the Soldiers' and Sailors' monument in Centre Square.





Four Easton Blue Star Mothers, whose sons are currently serving in the military, at the Memorial Day event on the Centre Square. They later placed the wreath before the rifle salute.



One of two buglers from the EAHS Rover Marching Band that played 'Taps and Echo' prior to the final benediction.

Though nearly 149 years old, these words written by Abraham Lincoln from the Gettysburg Address still seem relevant today:

It is for us, the living...to be dedicated here to the unfinished work, which they who fought...have thus far so nobly advanced, it is rather for us to be here dedication to the task remaining before us; that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion, that we here highly resolve: that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the face of the Earth.